Marketers can’t do it all and those who are most successful, don’t try. Have you learned how the art of delegating? Here are a few tips culled from forty years of managing employees, colleagues, clients, and partners to help you be better at delegation at work.
6 Tips to Better Delegation at Work
- Be very specific. I never ask anyone to do something general – it is always concrete. For example, can you give me your feedback on the attached brief by Monday at 11 am? I’d like to know with precision, what are your points of disagreement. If you have anything to add to the document. By being extremely specific and narrow, the person I delegate to understands what I need with clarity. I never say, can we meet next week. I’ll ask, can we meet on Tuesday at 2 pm. Be precise.
- Don’t micromanage. If what you ask for is clear, the delegate shouldn’t have a problem responding with precisely what you requested. If the delegate isn’t an employee or team members but outside of your organization, if they miss the deadline, a gentle reminder that next day should be enough. Hey, Sarah, when do you think you’ll have the feedback I requested? I’d love to get your input, but this project is on a fast-track, and I must keep things moving. Give good direction means you don’t need to hover. If your direct report is consistently not meeting your deadlines, review a few examples with her and make sure she is clear that when you ask for something by Tuesday at 2 pm, that doesn’t mean Thursdays at 4 pm.
- Be aware. If you are delegating to someone with a full plate, help to prioritize her workload. Also, check to see if personal issues are going on that requires some self-awareness on your part. When you ask for them to achieve a task, ask if they can get it done within your timeframe. Being sensitive to an overburdened workload or personal issues is the right thing to do. If the person reports to you and they are overwhelmed, help them prioritize their projects so you have them get done what matters most to you. Be sensitive but be smart to make sure they understand priorities, especially if they shift within your organization.
- Plan, and be well-ahead of your needs. The more organized I am, the better I can delegate work with ample time to others If I know that by the thirtieth of the month I’m going to need a total budget for a project, don’t ask for it on the twenty-seventh. Can you be organized enough to make the request on the tenth and ask for it by the twenty-fourth? Tell the person that you need the task completed in two-weeks. If it slips, you still have time for them to get the work done on your schedule. Being organized and planning is a productivity superpower of excellent managers.
- Don’t Expect Perfection. 90% is still an A. Accept an excellent job but don’t demand a perfect job. That last 10% can suck up all the energy and oxygen in the workplace. Teams that can achieve 85-90% excellence means that you balance between getting the work done and quality output.
- Trust. You must trust your colleagues to do the job right. If you are clear and specific, give team members a chance to get things done. Always assume the best intentions. If you hired the team, then provide them with the opportunity to prove their value.
Delegate Up and Down
A successful and productive delegator thinks about delegating to subordinates but can delegate up, to their bosses. You may need help from your boss to get your job done if something is in the way. Or, if two projects have conflicting needs or resource requirements, you might ask your superior to determine which project gets the assistance needed. Delegating up helps you achieve the company’s goals.
A Bad Delegator is a Great Teacher
A bad boss is a great teacher. It helps you learn how to become better at delegation by observing what they do wrong. A great boss is also a great teacher because you can learn how they manage a team and get a lot of work done.
I have made my share of mistakes in my career not effectively delegating, but I learn from my mistakes and seek to get better every day. The most important lesson I have learned is how important it is to care, to be clear, and to be concise.
How good are you at delegation?
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Photo by Sydney Rae on Unsplash
